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Poland's border alert and UK sanctions over Kara-Murza
Summary
A look back at two regional developments reported in the days before 3 August 2023, involving Poland, Belarus, the United Kingdom and Russia.
What was happening on Europe's eastern edge as 3 August 2023 arrived? Two developments, reported on 31 July and 1 August, set the tone.
On 1 August 2023, Poland ordered an increase in the number of soldiers near its border with Belarus. The move followed a statement by the Polish Ministry of National Defence that two Belarusian helicopters, which were carrying out training exercises, had violated Polish airspace.
A day earlier, on 31 July 2023, the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on judges and officials involved in the prosecution of activist Vladimir Kara-Murza. He had lost the appeal of his 25-year sentence for treason.
The two reports were separate and concerned different countries. Together they showed Belarus facing a Polish military response over airspace, and Russia facing British sanctions over the handling of a case against an opposition activist.
